Electronic device and function assigning method

ABSTRACT

At step ST 2 , an assign key changing item is selected from menu items. At step ST 3 , an assign key to which a function is assigned is selected. At step ST 4 , a function to be assigned is selected. The selected function is assigned to the selected assign key. At step ST 5 , a setting result indication screen appears. When one of two paired functions is assigned, a message which prompts a user to assign the other function. After the message has appeared for a predetermined time, the latest assigned states appear. At step ST 6 , the latest assign key information is stored to a non-volatile memory. To quit an assigning process, a menu button  8  is pressed and the menu is closed (at step ST 8 ).

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/638,461, filed Mar. 4, 2015, which is a Continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 12/929,157, filed Jan. 5, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.8,990,730 issued Mar. 24, 2015, which is a Continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/593,061, filed Feb. 12, 2007, now abandoned,which is based on a National Stage Application of PCT/2005/003557, filedFeb. 24, 2005, which in turn claims priority from Japanese ApplicationNo.: 2004-075676, filed on Mar. 17, 2004, the entire contents of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electronic device, such as a videocamera, a digital camera, a cellular phone, or a PDA, which has adisplay panel and an operating section and also to a method of assigninga function to a key.

BACKGROUND ART

As an electronic device such as a video camera is becoming small, thenumber of hard keys (hereinafter simply referred to as keys) tends todecrease. As a result, functions that cannot be assigned to keys need tobe operated on a menu. Thus, the video camera cannot be quickly operatedand there are not a lot of changes that user sees these functions.Consequently, its operation would become bothersome.

Even if many keys are provided, since the purpose for which the useruses the video camera depends on himself or herself, all functionspre-assigned to keys are not always functions that the user needs withkeys.

In contrast with related art of which only one function the user desiresis assigned to one key, with respect to keys of a commander as a remotecontrolling device for a television receiver, a technology that allows aplurality of functions to be sequentially assigned to one key wheneverit is operated is described in Japanese Patent Application UnexaminedPublication No. 2002-10380.

As described in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No.2002-10380, in the method of assigning a plurality of functions that aresequentially provided to one key, although the number of keys can bedecreased, functions assigned to one key are restricted. In addition, itis difficult for the user to remember functions that he or she hasassigned to the key. Thus, it cannot be said that the operability isimproved with the technology. In addition, since functions are notassigned to a plurality of keys, it cannot be said that the operabilityof the method of assigning functions is satisfactory.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide anelectronic device and a method of assigning functions that allow afunction of quickly displaying a setting screen for menu items or asetting screen for non-menu items to be assigned to a key so as toimprove the operability of the electronic device.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

To solve the foregoing problem, the present invention is an electronicdevice having a display panel and a plurality of keys to which desiredfunctions can be assigned, comprising:

displaying a plurality of items on the display panel; setting a desireditem which is selected from the plurality of items; displaying a settingscreen corresponding to the desired item; and setting the desired itemby using the setting screen,

wherein a function for displaying the setting screen when one of thekeys is operated is assigned to at least one of the plurality of keys.In addition, according to the present invention, a function other thanfunctions that can be set on a menu is assigned.

In addition, the present invention is a method of assigning desiredfunctions to a plurality of keys, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of items and selecting a desired item from theplurality of items; and

selecting a key to which a function is assigned from the plurality ofkeys,

wherein a function which has been selected at the function selectingstep and which can be set on a menu is assigned to the key selected atthe key selecting step. In addition, according to the present invention,a function other than functions that can be set on a menu is assigned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a video cameraaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of assign keys.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a structure of a signalprocess of the video camera.

FIGS. 4A-4D are schematic diagrams showing screens appearing on a liquidcrystal display panel upon settings on a menu.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a flow of an assigning process for aassign key.

FIGS. 6A-6F are schematic diagrams showing an example of screensappearing on the liquid crystal display panel in an assigning processfor an assign key.

FIGS. 7A-7E are schematic diagrams showing another example of screensappearing on the liquid crystal display panel in an assigning processfor an assign key.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, with reference to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of thepresent invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows an external structureof a video camera according to the present invention. Reference numeral1 denotes a lens housing section. Light from an object enters an imagersuch as a CCD through a lens. Reference numeral 2 denotes a zoom ring.Reference numeral 3 denotes a stereo microphone. Reference numeral 4denotes an electronic view finder.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a liquid crystal display monitor of forexample 2.5 inch type. The liquid crystal display monitor 5 can befreely housed in a concave housing portion 6 on one side of the body. Atape cassette housing section (not shown) is disposed on the other sideof the body. The tape cassette housing section houses for example a DV(Digital Video) standard tape cassette. An object is shot by a camerasection. The resultant video signal of the object is processed. Theprocessed video signal is recorded onto a magnetic tape of the tapecassette by a rotating head.

The video camera shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of operation keys.Among these operation keys, assign keys 7, a menu button 8, and aselection/push-confirmation dial 9 relate to the present invention. Asshown in FIG. 2, the assign keys 7 are composed of a plurality of (forexample, three) assign keys (hereinafter referred to as the assign keys1, 2, and 3). The assign keys 7 are disposed at a position where theuser can easily operate them, for example, near the zoom ring 2. Thus,the assign keys 7 are apart from the other operation keys. As will bedescribed later, the user can assign his or her desired functions toeach of the assign keys 7. For example, when the user presses forexample one of the assign keys 7, he or she can perform his or herdesired process such as a record starting process, a tape forwardingprocess, a tape rewinding process, a lens-captured image process, or thelike. The keys of the assign keys 7 and so forth are not limited to hardkeys such as pushbutton keys, slide type keys, or pressure sensitiveswitches, but touch panel keys of which the user touches the liquidcrystal display panel 5 with his or her finger or the like.

FIG. 3 shows an outline of a structure of a signal process of the videocamera. In FIG. 3, solid lines denote a path of video/audio signals, apath of a stream, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) bus. The CPUcomposes a controller. Dotted lines denote a path of a control signal.Light from an object enters an imager 12 composed of a device such as aCCD (Charge Coupled Device) through a lens 11. An output signal of theimager 12 is supplied to a camera signal processing section 13. Thecamera signal processing section 13 performs various types of camerasignal processes such as a color separating process, a digitalizingprocess, and so forth.

A lens-captured video signal is supplied from the camera signalprocessing section 13 to a base band processing section 14. Anindication signal for a menu and so forth is supplied from an OSD (OnScreen Display) section 15 to the base band processing section 14. TheOSD section 15 generates an indication signal for a menu screen andvarious types of setting screens corresponding to commands supplied froma controller 16 composed of a CPU. The base band signal processingsection 14 combines the indication signal supplied from the OSD section15 and the lens-captured video signal.

Connected to the controller 16 through the CPU bus is a non-volatilememory, for example an EEPROM (Electrical Erasable Programmable ROM). Anexample of the non-volatile memory is a removable memory card (notshown). The CPU bus of the controller 16 is connected to the base bandsignal processing section 14.

A video signal supplied from the base band signal processing section 14is compressed by a compression encoder 18 according to DCT (DiscreteCosine Transform) or the like. The compressed signal is supplied to amultiplexer 19. The multiplexer 19 multiplexes the compression-encodedaudio data, system data, and so forth and generates record data. Therecord data are supplied to a record processing section 20.

The record processing section 20 performs an error correction encodingprocess, a channel coding process, and so forth. The record signal(record stream data) supplied from the record processing section 20 issupplied to a rotating head of a tape head section 21. The rotating headrecords the record signal as diagonal tracks on the magnetic tape.

A reproduction signal (reproduction stream data) reproduced from themagnetic tape by the rotating head of the tape head section 21 issupplied to a reproduction processing section 22. The reproductionprocessing section 22 performs a channel coding decoding process, anerror collecting process, and so forth.

Reproduction data are supplied from the reproduction processing section22 to a demultiplexer 23. The demultiplexer 23 separates thereproduction data into video data, audio data, and system data. Adecompressing decoder 24 decompresses the compression-encoded data. Thedecompressed video data are supplied from the decompressing decoder 24to the base band signal processing section 14.

The electronic view finder 4 and the liquid crystal display panel 5 areconnected to the base band signal processing section 14. These displaydevices display a lens-captured image, a tape-reproduced image, varioustypes of menus, and so forth. The controller 16 and a key device 25 areconnected. The key device 25 includes the assign keys 7, the menu button8, the selection/push-confirmation dial 9, and so forth. Theselection/push-confirmation dial 9 is an input device of which when thedial is rotated, a selection item can be changed on a screen of theliquid crystal display panel 5 and when the dial is pushed, the selecteditem can be confirmed.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a GUI menu on which the video camera isset for various modes and a method of assigning a short cut to a desiredmenu item thereof will be described. The CPU of the controller 16executes these processes according to the program. When the video camerais set, the menu button 8 is pressed. When the menu button 8, a menuscreen appears on the liquid crystal display panel 5. A desired menuitem, for example, “camera setting”, is selected from menu items on ascreen 31 a shown in FIG. 4A with the selection/push-confirmation dial9. The selected menu item is for example highlighted so that it isdistinguished from the other menu items.

Menu items appear as icons on the left end of the screen. Besides“camera setting”, there are menu items “audio setting”, “memorysetting”, and “others”. While the video camera is in the record pausestate (record standby state), the menu screen appears. An image (notshown) that is being shot appears as a background image on the liquidcrystal display panel 5.

The menu has a hierarchical structure. The menu item “camera setting”has lower hierarchical levels for example sub setting items “shakecompensation”, “wide setting”, “progressive record”, “sharpness”, and“gain level”. A screen 31 b shown in FIG. 4B indicates the state ofwhich “camera setting”→“shake compensation” have been selected by theselection/push-confirmation dial 9. In addition, the screen 31 bindicates the current setting of “shake compensation”, for example “ON”.The selection/push-confirmation dial 9 is an input device of which whenthe dial is rotated, one of a plurality of menu items can be selectedand when the dial is pushed, the selected item can be confirmed.

After the menu item “shake compensation” has been confirmed, as shown inFIG. 4C, a “shake compensation” setting screen 31 c appears. With theselection/push-confirmation dial 9, the menu item “shake compensation”can be set for a desired state. For example, “shake compensation” can beset for “ON/OFF”. Likewise, another menu item can be selected. Whenanother menu item is selected, a setting screen corresponding theretoappears. The selected menu item can be set for a desired state on thesetting screen.

After one of the foregoing menu items, for example “shake compensation”,has been assigned to one of the assign keys 7, for example the assignkey 1, as shown in FIG. 4D, when the assign key 1 is operated, the shakecompensation setting screen 31 c quickly appears on the liquid crystaldisplay monitor 5. In other words, the assign key 1 functions as ashortcut key of “shake compensation”. Since a setting screencorresponding to a pre-assigned menu item quickly appears, even if anobject is being shot by the video camera, it can be set for a desirestate.

The process of assigning a function to an assign key is performed by theCPU of the controller 16 according to the program. Specifically, anassign key setting menu is selected. With theselection/push-confirmation dial 9, a function is assigned to an assignkey on the assign key setting menu appearing on the liquid crystaldisplay panel 5. In other words, by rotating the dial, an assign key towhich a desired function is assigned is selected. Thereafter, thedesired function is selected from the menu items. Thereafter, the dialis pushed to confirm the selected menu item.

Menu items assigned to the assign keys are not limited to those assignedwith the selection/push-confirmation dial 9 on the menu. For example, asetting item of whether to display a color bar on the screen of theliquid crystal display panel 5 can be assigned to an assign key.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when one of pairedfunctions is assigned to one of the plurality of assign keys, a messagethat prompts the user to assign the other of the pair to the assign keyappears. Next, with reference to a flow chart shown in FIG. 5 anddisplay screens of the liquid crystal display panel 5 shown in FIG. 6, afunction assigning process for assign keys will be described.

At step ST1, the menu button 8 is pressed. The menu appears on theliquid crystal display panel 5. A plurality of menu items appear on themenu screen. At step ST2, “changing user setting” is selected from themenu items. Since the assign keys 7 are composed of three assign keys,at step ST3, key selection step, an assign key to which the selectedfunction is assigned is selected.

When the menu button 8 is pressed, the menu screen appears. When themenu item “others” is selected on the menu screen, a screen 41 aappears. FIG. 6A shows the screen 41 a. The menu item “others” has submenu items “changing user setting”, “record mode”, and “record format”.When “changing user setting” is selected, a screen 41 b shown in FIG. 6Bappears. When “changing user setting” is confirmed, a key selectionscreen 41 c shown in FIG. 6C appears. The menu “changing user setting”is a menu on which menu items are assigned to the assign keys 7.

On the key selection screen 41 c, “user setting 1” denotes a menu itemassigned to the assign key 1; and “user setting 2” and “user setting 3”denote menu items assigned to the assign key 2 and the assign key 3,respectively. On the key selection screen 41 c shown in FIG. 6C, all theuser settings have been assigned “blank”. In other words, no executablefunctions have been assigned to these assign keys. Since the assign keyscan be assigned “blank”, if the user does not need to assign functionsto the assign keys, even if he or she mistakenly touches these assignkeys, the video camera can be prevented from malfunctioning. Inaddition, the same function can be assigned to the plurality of assignkeys.

At step ST4, function selection step, when theselection/push-confirmation dial 9 is rotated, a desired function to beassigned is selected. At step ST5, when the selection/push-confirmationdial 9 is pushed, the selected function is assigned to the selectedassign key. Functions assigned to the assign keys are not limited tofunctions assigned with the menu button 8 and theselection/push-confirmation dial 9 on the menu, but functions that canbe assigned to only the assign keys. When one of functions that can beassigned with the menu button 8 and the selection/push-confirmation dial9 is assigned to an assign key, the assign key functions as a short cutkey.

When “user setting 1” is selected on the key selection screen 41 c, itis changed to a function selection screen 41 d shown in FIG. 6D. On thefunction selection screen 41 d, as selectable menu items, there are forexample “blank”, “edit search +”, “edit search −”, and “indexing”. “Editsearch +” is a function of reproducing the tape forwards in the recordpause state. In contrast “edit search −” is a function of reproducingthe tape backwards in the record pause state. These functions exemplifypaired functions. Other examples of paired functions are “tel/wide”, and“focus ±”.

After step ST4, function assignment, a setting result information screenappears (at step ST5). In FIG. 6D, when “user setting 1” is set for e.g.“edit search +”, a setting result information screen 41 e appears asshown in FIG. 6E. The screen 41 indicates that the setting has beencompleted and that the function “edit search +” has been assigned to theassign key 1. In addition, the screen 41 indicates a message thatprompts the user to assign the other function of the paired functions,namely “edit search”. Instead of the assignment prompt menu, the pairedfunction may be automatically assigned to another assign key.

A predetermined wait time, for example, five seconds, is preset for thesetting result information screen 41 e. After the wait time has elapsed,as shown in FIG. 6F, a key selection screen 41 f that indicates assignedresults of the assign keys 7 appears. In contrast with the key selectionscreen 41 c, the key selection screen 41 f indicates the latest assignedstates of the assign keys.

At step ST6, the latest assign key information is stored to anon-volatile memory (EEPROM 17). At step ST7, it is determined whetherto perform a function assigning process for another assign key. When theassigning process is continued, the flow returns to step ST3 (selectionof an assign key to which a function is assigned). To quit the assigningprocess, the menu button 8 is pressed and the menu is closed (at stepST8).

Functions assigned to the assign keys 7 can be deleted. In addition,functions assigned to two assign keys can be changed with each other.FIG. 7 describes this changing process.

When the menu button 8 is pressed, the menu screen appears. When themenu item “others” is selected on the menu screen, a screen 51 aappears. FIG. 7A shows the screen 51 a. The menu item “others” has a submenu item “changing user setting”. When the menu item “changing usersetting” is selected, a screen 51 b shown in FIG. 7B appears. When themenu item “changing user setting” is confirmed, a key selection screen51 c shown in FIG. 7C appears.

The key selection screen 51 c indicates functions currently assigned tothe function keys. For example, the function “edit search +” has beenassigned to the assign key 1. The function “indexing” has been assignedto the assign key 2. The function “edit search −” has been assigned tothe assign key 3.

When the user setting 1 (assign key 1) is selected on the key selectionscreen 51 c and confirmed, an assigned function changing screen 51 dappears. When the user setting 1 (assign key 2) is selected andconfirmed on the assigned function changing screen 51 d, a process ofchanging the functions of the user settings 1 and 2 with each other isperformed. As shown in FIG. 7E, the function assigned to the usersetting 1 and the function assigned to the user setting 2 have beenchanged to “indexing” and “edit search +”, respectively. The changedresults are written to the non-volatile memory.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a sequence ofoperations that the user performed can be stored and assigned to one ofthe plurality of assign keys. For example, as a menu item, “start ofstoring a sequence of video camera operations” is prepared. After thestoring operation stare is tuned on, when one of blank assign keys ispressed, the storing operation is started. A sequence of video cameraoperations performed after the assign key is pressed until it is pressedagain are stored to the non-volatile memory. After the sequence has beenstored, when the assign key is pressed, the same sequence of operationsthat have been stored are performed.

After a sequence of operations have been stored, when only the assignkey is pressed, the operations can be executed. Thus, since a sequenceof operations that the user often uses can be executed only by pressingonly the assign key, the video camera can be easily operated in anemergency situation or the like.

Thus, unlike the case that a menu is opened, a menu item is selectedfrom a plurality of menu items on the menu for each of a plurality ofkeys, the selected key is set for the selected menu item on a settingscreen corresponding thereto, when a key is operated, a setting screenfor a selected item quickly appears. As a result, since a shortcutfunction can be accomplished, the number of operation steps necessaryfor the setting can be decreased. In addition, according to anembodiment of the present invention, a function for displaying a settingscreen for unique items other than menu items selected on the menu canbe assigned to each of the plurality of keys. In addition, since asetting screen quickly appears, settings can be quickly changed.

In the foregoing, an embodiment of the present invention has beenspecifically described. However, the present invention is not limited tothe foregoing embodiment. Instead, various modifications correspondingto the spirit of the present invention may be made. For example, the keyselecting step and the function assigning step can be changed with eachother. In addition, the present invention can be widely applied tovarious types of electronic devices that have a display panel on which amenu appears besides a video camera.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:an image processing circuitry configured to: process an image signaloutput from an imager of a camera, and cause a display device to displayan image based on the processed image signal, and to selectively displaya menu including a menu list for selecting from a plurality of menuitems being associated with functions, the menu items representingcandidates to assign to a part of a key device disposed on the camera indirect response to a manual input by a user and being related to one ofa plurality of first camera operations; and control circuitry configuredto: in response to a first input at the key device, set a mode for thecamera, and in response to a second input at the key device and whilethe camera is in the mode set in response to the first input at the keydevice, assign, as a first function, a first candidate to a firstoperation key of the key device, and automatically assign, as a secondfunction, a second candidate to a second operation key of the keydevice, the first function and the second function being pairedfunctions.
 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the image processing circuitry is configured to cause thedisplay device to display the image and the menu simultaneously.
 3. Theimage processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imageprocessing circuitry is configured to cause the display device todisplay the image and the menu alternately.
 4. The image processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the key device includes thefirst operation key, the second operation key, and a menu key.
 5. Theimage processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the imageprocessing circuitry is configured to cause the display device todisplay the menu in response to an input at the menu key.
 6. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the menu includes afirst menu item for assigning a candidate to a part of the key device.7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the menuincludes a second menu item related to processing the image signal. 8.The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the secondmenu item is related to a sharpness of the image.
 9. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second menu itemis related to a gain level of the image.
 10. The image processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing circuitryis configured to cause the display device to display a first assignedstate of the first operation key and a second assigned state of thesecond operation key.
 11. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to assign, as thefirst function, a plurality of candidates to the first operation key,the plurality of functions including at least a record startingfunction.
 12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the first function and the second function are related to afield of view.
 13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the first function and the second function are related to anincrease and a decrease, respectively, in an image parameter.
 14. Theimage processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the key deviceincludes three operation keys.
 15. The image processing apparatusaccording to claim 14, wherein the operation keys are the firstoperation key, the second operation key, and a dial key.
 16. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the dial key ispushable for accepting a selection input.
 17. The image processingapparatus according to claim 15, wherein the dial key is rotatable forchanging a selection input.
 18. The image processing apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the key device includes a ring that controls asecond camera operation, and the first operation key and the secondoperation key are disposed adjacent the ring.
 19. The image processingapparatus according to claim 18, wherein the second camera operation isa zoom.
 20. The image processing apparatus according to claim 18,wherein the first operation key and the second operation key aredisposed along a plane, and an axis of the plane is parallel to arotation axis of the ring.
 21. The image processing apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the first operation key and the second operation keyare hard keys.
 22. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14,wherein at least one of the first operation key and the second operationkey is a pushbutton key.
 23. An image processing method, comprising:processing, by an image processing circuitry, an image signal outputfrom an imager of a camera; causing, by the image processing circuitry,a display device to display an image based on the processed imagesignal, and to selectively display a menu including a menu list forselecting from a plurality of menu items being associated withfunctions, the menu items representing candidates to assign to a part ofa key device disposed on the camera in direct response to a manual inputby a user and being related to one of a plurality of camera operations;and by a control circuitry: in response to a first input at the keydevice, setting a mode for the camera, and in response to a second inputat the key device and while the camera is in the mode set in response tothe first input at the key device, assigning, as a first function, afirst candidate to a first operation key of the key device, andautomatically assigning, as a second function, a second candidate to asecond operation key of the key device, the first function and thesecond function being paired functions.
 24. The image processing methodaccording to claim 23, wherein the first and second functions arerelated to a field of view.
 25. The image processing method according toclaim 23, further comprising causing the display device to display afirst assigned state of the first operation key and a second assignedstate of the second operation key.
 26. An image processing method,comprising: processing, by an image processing circuitry, an imagesignal output from an imager of a camera; causing, by the imageprocessing circuitry, a display device to display an image based on theprocessed image signal; in response to a first input at a menu key of akey device disposed on the camera, causing the display device to displaya menu and the image simultaneously, and to selectively display the menuincluding a menu list for selecting from a plurality of menu items beingassociated with functions, the menu items representing candidates toassign to a part of the key device in direct response to a manual inputby a user and being related to one of a plurality of camera operations;and by a control circuitry: in response to a first input at the keydevice, setting a mode for the camera, and in response to a second inputat the key device and while the camera is in the mode set in response tothe first input at the key device, assigning, as a first function, afirst candidate to a first operation key of the key device, the firstfunction being related to an image setting, and automatically assigning,as a second function, a second candidate to a second operation key ofthe key device, the first function and the second function being pairedfunctions.
 27. An imaging system, comprising: a camera including animager configured to output an image signal; and circuitry configuredto: process the image signal output from the imager, cause a displaydevice to display an image based on the processed image signal, and toselectively display a menu including a menu list for selecting from aplurality of menu items being associated with functions, the menu itemsrepresenting candidates to assign to a part of a key device disposed onthe camera in direct response to a manual input by a user and beingrelated to one of a plurality of camera operations, in response to afirst input at the key device, set a mode for the camera, in response toa second input at the key device and while the camera is in the mode setin response to the first input at the key device, assign, as a firstfunction, a first candidate to a first operation key of the key device,and automatically assign, as a second function, a second candidate to asecond operation key of the key device, the first function and thesecond function being paired functions, cause the first function to beperformed in response to an input at the first operation key, and causethe second function to be performed in response to an input at thesecond operation key.